Trinidad and Tobago coach Leo Beenhakker intends to travel throughout the United Kingdom to meet with this country’s players based there and their respective Club managers over the remainder of this month.
The Dutch-born coach who replaced Bertille St Clair at the helm of the “Warriors” last week, revealed this during his first official Media Conference at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Wednesday. Both he and newly appointed manager Bruce Anensen were unveiled at the event.
A previously scheduled training session for later that evening was cancelled as Beenhakker preferred to get things fully on stream upon his return.
The former Ajax coach said he plans to get better acquainted with the players before returning to take up full time duties in Trinidad from May 1 from which time he intends to hold three-day live in camps each week leading up to the next 2006 World Cup qualifying match against Panama on June 4.
“I have a made good choice in accepting the job and the challenge that lies ahead to try and help this team, the Federation and especially the supporters to take Trinidad (and Tobago) to the World Cup in 2006,” Beenhakker said during an ongoing statement.
He spoke of a successful meeting with coaches of the local Pro League teams in which he assured them that their players will be well monitored.
“I told them that the national team is not at all, with my respect is not for the players from abroad but we need to have much more attention to the players playing here locally.”
He added that he has already spent time reviewing recent T&T matches and also spent time getting to know those around local football and getting assessment of players.
“I hope too see all of these players play and perhaps train so by the time these two matches come around, we will know exactly how we can use them.
"Many people have asked since I arrived are we going to Germany, yes or no? In football there are no guarantees. It’s the reality. Normally in your life two and two is always four. In football many times, two and two is maybe three or five. You have to try and manage that.”
As to how he sees T&T’s chances in the remaining matches, Beenhakker said: “We have the same possibility as the other opponents in the group. We have to be realistic and we have a big job to do but at least we have the same possibility as the other teams. That’s the best news now.
“I am trying to realize your wish to take Trinidad and Tobago for the first time to the World Championship. What can I offer you? I can offer about 39 years experience at a high international level. I can offer you my professionalism and ambition of course and my passion for football. That is still more than one hundred percent. “From our side, we will do everything that is possible to realize this big dream.
He also mentioned that there is a possibility of bringing in two other coaches from the Nertherlands to work with him and that he intends to use David Nakhid’s expertise as a player to help him prepare the team. This he added means that during training, he expects Nakhid to get points across and share knowledge from a player’s perspective, also not counting out the possibility of the former skipper being active during matches. Beenhakker went on to say that he would prefer to have Russell Latapy around earlier than next month which is the time mentioned for his arrival due to club commitments.
T&T, following a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica last month, is currently bottom of the six-team CONCACAF qualifying table with one point and will host Panama on June 4.